Phone call between President Barroso and President Yanukovych on the situation in Ukraine

President Barroso spoke today on the phone with President Yanukovych. He conveyed his shock and dismay with the recent clashes in Ukraine which led to the death and injury of a number of people. He called for an immediate end to the violence and firmly condemned the use of force to solve the political crisis. He recalled the special responsibility of the Ukrainian government to avoid violence and respect human rights and fundamental freedoms. He stressed the importance of all actors committing to a political process without pre-conditions in a spirit of shared responsibility. He referred to the fact that while the EU remains ready to assist and facilitate this process it will react firmly to the deterioration of the situation. The Foreign Affairs Council will meet tomorrow to discuss targeted measures against those responsible for the violence.